DRAFT SPECIFICATION A-LEVEL ARCHAEOLOGY DRAFT 7017 Specification For teaching from September 2017 onwards For A-level exams in 2019 onwards Version 0.1 July 2016 DRAFT SPECIFICATION A-level Archaeology DRAFT 7017 A-level exams June 2019 onwards Version 0.1 July 2016 Contents Introduction 1.1 Why choose AQA for A-level Archaeology 1.2 Support and resources to help you teach 1.3 Draft specification DRAFT SPECIFICATION Specification at a glance 2.1 Subject content 2.2 Assessments 5 7 Subject content 3.1 Archaeology in practice 3.2 Debates in world archaeology 3.3 Themes in world archaeology: depth studies 3.4 Themes in world archaeology: breadth studies Scheme of assessment 4.1 Aims 4.2 Assessment objectives 4.3 Assessment weightings 4.4 Non-exam assessment 13 14 16 21 21 21 22 22 Non-exam assessment administration 31 5.1 Supervising and authenticating 5.2 Avoiding malpractice 5.3 Teacher standardisation 5.4 Internal standardisation 5.5 Commenting 5.6 Submitting marks 5.7 Factors affecting individual students 5.8 Keeping students' work 5.9 Moderation 5.10 After moderation General administration 6.1 Entries and codes 6.2 Overlaps with other qualifications 6.3 Awarding grades and reporting results 6.4 Re-sits and shelf life 6.5 Previous learning and prerequisites 6.6 Access to assessment: diversity and inclusion 6.7 Working with AQA for the first time 31 31 32 32 32 32 33 33 33 34 35 35 35 35 35 36 36 36 Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 37 DRAFT SPECIFICATION 6.8 Private candidates Are you using the latest version of this specification? • • You will always find the most up-to-date version of this specification on our website at aqa.org.uk/7017 We will write to you if there are significant changes to the specification Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration A-level Archaeology DRAFT 7017 A-level exams June 2019 onwards Version 0.1 July 2016 Introduction 1.1 Why choose AQA for A-level Archaeology DRAFT SPECIFICATION Archaeology is a great way to explore the past It also helps develop valuable skills to ensure your students stand out from the crowd Higher education and businesses value the independent research, teamwork, leadership and project management skills you’ll help your students to develop 1.1.1 A specification designed for you and your students This new qualification retains much of the content that we know you and your students enjoy Topics are clearly and logically structured and learning includes: • an understanding of the nature of archaeological evidence and what examining such evidence can tell us about past human societies • an understanding and practical application of archaeological techniques, including contemporary techniques • the practice of responsible archaeology • how to analyse archaeological material and data 1.1.2 Clear, well structured exams, accessible for all To enable your students to show their breadth of knowledge and understanding, we’ve created a simple and straightforward structure and layout for our papers, using a mixture of question styles You can find out about all our Archaeology qualifications at aqa.org.uk/archaeology 1.2 Support and resources to help you teach We’ve worked with experienced teachers to provide you with a range of resources that will help you confidently plan, teach and prepare for exams 1.2.1 Teaching resources Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 to see all our teaching resources They include: • specimen papers and mark schemes to show the standards required and how your students’ papers will be marked • sample schemes of work and teacher guides to help you plan your course with confidence • a phone and email based subject team to support you in the delivery of the specification • training courses to help you deliver AQA Archaeology qualifications 1.2.2 Preparing for exams Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for everything you need to prepare for our exams, including: • past papers, mark schemes and examiners’ reports • specimen papers and mark schemes for new courses Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration • Exampro: a searchable bank of past AQA exam questions • example student answers with examiner commentaries 1.2.3 Analyse your students' results with Enhanced Results Analysis (ERA) Find out which questions were the most challenging, how the results compare to previous years and where your students need to improve ERA, our free online results analysis tool, will help you see where to focus your teaching Register at aqa.org.uk/era 1.2.4 Keep your skills up-to-date with professional development Wherever you are in your career, there’s always something new to learn As well as subject specific training, we offer a range of courses to help boost your skills • Improve your teaching skills in areas including differentiation, teaching literacy and meeting Ofsted requirements • Prepare for a new role with our leadership and management courses You can attend a course at venues around the country, in your school or online – whatever suits your needs and availability Find out more at coursesandevents.aqa.org.uk 1.2.5 Help and support Visit our website for information, guidance, support and resources at aqa.org.uk/7017 If you'd like us to share news and information about this qualification, sign up for emails and updates at aqa.org.uk/from-2017 Alternatively, you can call or email our subject team direct E: archaeology@aqa.org.uk T: 0161 958 3861 1.3 Draft specification This draft qualification has not yet been accredited by Ofqual It is published to enable teachers to have early sight of our proposed approach to A-level Archaeology Further changes may be required and no assurance can be given that this proposed qualification will be made available in its current form, or that it will be accredited in time for first teaching in September 2017 and first award in August 2019 Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION For information about results, including maintaining standards over time, grade boundaries and our post-results services, visit aqa.org.uk/results A-level Archaeology DRAFT 7017 A-level exams June 2019 onwards Version 0.1 July 2016 Specification at a glance This qualification is linear Linear means that students will sit all their exams and submit all their non-exam assessment at the end of the course 2.1 Subject content DRAFT SPECIFICATION Core content Archaeology in practice (page 9) Debates in world archaeology (page 13) Themes in world archaeology: depth studies (page 14) Themes in world archaeology: breadth studies (page 16) 2.2 Assessments Paper What's assessed • Archaeology in practice • Debates in world archaeology How it's assessed • Written exam: hours 30 minutes • 80 marks • 40% of A-level Questions A combination of multiple choice, short answer and extended writing questions Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration Paper What's assessed • Themes in world archaeology: depth studies • Themes in world archaeology: breadth studies How it's assessed • Written exam: hour 30 minutes • 80 marks • 40% of A-level A combination of extended writing questions Non-exam assessment (NEA) What's assessed Archaeological investigation How it's assessed • 3000–4000 words essay • 80 marks • 20% of A-level Questions Students complete an individual investigation which must include data collected in the field The individual investigation must be based on a question or issue defined and developed by the student relating to any part of the specification content Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION Questions A-level Archaeology DRAFT 7017 A-level exams June 2019 onwards Version 0.1 July 2016 Subject content 3.1 Archaeology in practice This section of the specification takes account of the dramatic impact of scientific techniques, particularly in reconnaissance and post-excavation and dating, and the impact of new discoveries on our understanding of human evolution DRAFT SPECIFICATION 3.1.1 The nature and types of archaeological evidence This section underpins all other parts of the specification Students should be familiar with the range of artefacts, features and environmental evidence most commonly encountered in the archaeological record and which are used to construct understandings of past human activity They should be able to explain and illustrate not only their value but also their limitations both generally and in given scenarios They should be familiar with the evidence available in a range of different types of sites including burials (including human remains), buildings and other structures, sites and settlements, botanical and faunal remains and landscapes Students should understand that the principle of stratification is central to all archaeological investigation and the key concept of archaeological context (referring to the layer in which archaeological material is found) Students should become able to understand and translate the recording formats found in site reports These include maps, plans, sections and matrices, photographs and drawings, data tables for ecofacts and artefacts, summative dating tables and written reports Students should understand the value of secondary sources used by archaeologists, particularly for desktop surveys They should be able to understand and translate from maps, plans, photographs (including aerial photography), illustrations, historic accounts and records and written sources 3.1.2 Site formation processes The archaeological record is never static and archaeologists need to understand the processes which shape the evidence from the past which is available to study These are termed transformation or formation processes • Transformation processes: • formation processes • post-depositional processes • recovery processes • How material entered the archaeological record: • behavioural processes ‒ how was material acquired and used by humans • depositional processes ‒ how was it discarded or became buried • curation and structured deposition • The natural (N-transforms) and cultural (C-transforms) factors which impact on archaeological sites and materials • taphonomy • The impact of decisions taken by archaeologists including selection, available technology and specialists Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 3.1.3 Discovery and survey • Desktop survey: • historic accounts and illustrations • old maps and plans • antiquarian accounts • documentary collections and databases • photographic collections • oral accounts • Geographic Information Systems (GIS) • OS maps • archaeological reports • Landscape survey: • surface survey including transects • field walking including set up and process • micro-contour survey • standing building survey • the use of total stations and GPS systems • sampling techniques (random, stratified, systematic and stratified-systematic) • coring, augering and shovel-pit testing • geochemical prospection (phosphate, lipids and heavy metals) • Geophysical survey: • resistivity • magnetometry including the use of Caesium Magnetometers and use in underwater survey • Ground Penetrating Radar • metal detectors • sonar • Remote sensing: • aerial photography including the identification of vertical and oblique photographs, crop, soil and parch marks, shadow sites • lidar • satellite survey 3.1.4 Excavation, recovery and on-site recording This section focuses on the destruction of the archaeological record through excavation and its translation into the archives and reports of the record preserved by archaeologists Archaeological sites are individual and once excavated are lost Students should understand the reasons for excavation and the strategies employed by archaeologists to recover as much data as possible from the process • Archaeological decision making: • reasons for excavation: rescue, salvage and research • ethical considerations and local community issues • excavation strategy • preservation ‘in situ’ and ‘preservation by record’ 10 Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION This section covers the range of ways that archaeological sites and landscapes are discovered, explored and recorded without excavation Students will need to understand the principles underlying each method and their value and limitations to archaeology both generally and in given scenarios Independence is compulsory in the following stages of the investigation: • defining and developing a question or issue to address aims, questions and/or hypotheses relating to any aspect of the specification • drawing on research, including field data and if relevant, secondary data which must be sourced by the student • contextualising, analysing and summarising findings and data • presenting data and drawing conclusions If students collaborate where independence is expected then the teacher must record this additional assistance on the Candidate record form (CRF) and take it into account when marking the work Students should select a manageable focus for their investigation which enables them to select one or more focused research question or issue with both a theoretical basis and a locational context Appropriate methods should be used to collect relevant data The data collected should permit the use of appropriate cartographical, photographic, graphical and statistical skills to enable a full interpretation to be made, which should include reference to the title/aim The conclusion should include a summary of the results, the relevance of these to the title/aim and an evaluation of the overall investigation, including the contributions and limitations of archaeology in understanding the topic and opportunities for further research Preparation for this unit must involve enquiry work outside the classroom, to include data collection in the field and might include, for example, data collected in specialist study venues, work experience settings, internet research and use of the library or archive Students are expected to submit a written report which is 3,000–4,000 words in length This includes all text, text boxes and supplementary material such as photographs and data presentation techniques It does not include appendices When attaching appendices students should have examples of raw data only, such as data sheets and questionnaires, rather than every questionnaire used Students who offer work that is below the advisory word count may be penalising themselves by not allowing appropriate coverage of the required assessment objectives Students who exceed the advisory word count may be penalising themselves through a lack of precision and focus, but there will be no additional penalties imposed for not meeting the advisory word count 4.4.6 Guidance permissible from teachers Teachers should: • provide broad parameters for students’ investigation proposals (including themes from the specification, locations, availability of equipment, time constraints) • explain what independence means • advise on health and safety considerations, the use of equipment and potential ethical concerns • discuss with students their initial exploratory planning and tentative investigation titles • review each student’s independent investigation proposal (within this review you should ensure that the proposed investigation can suitably access the specification requirements and you should give general guidance on the methodology and analytical tools that the student plans to use) • advise on good practice such as referencing and using a bibliography system The above advice does not need to be recorded or taken into account when marking the work 24 Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION 4.4.5 Guidance for students A-level Archaeology DRAFT 7017 A-level exams June 2019 onwards Version 0.1 July 2016 Teachers must not: DRAFT SPECIFICATION • provide students with a choice of titles or tasks from which they then choose • mark work provisionally and share that mark so that the student may then improve it • give guidance on how to make improvements to the draft in order to meet the assessment criteria without recording it as additional assistance on the Candidate record form (CRF) and taking it into account when marking the work (these conditions apply equally to third party fieldwork providers) • provide templates or model answers for specific titles or students • provide detailed and specific feedback on errors and omissions which limits students’ opportunities to show initiative themselves • provide primary or secondary data not collected by the student either individually or as part of a group Any additional guidance of this nature must be recorded on the Candidate record form (CRF) and taken into account when marking the work Annotation must be used to explain how marks were applied in the context of the additional assistance given Failure to so will be considered as malpractice If malpractice is suspected with regard to guidance and feedback to students, we will investigate If malpractice is found to have taken place a penalty will be given dependent on the circumstances and severity of the malpractice For full information, please see Malpractice (page 46) and the JCQ instructions Suspected Malpractice in Examinations and Assessment 4.4.7 Assessment criteria (80 marks) The NEA component is worth 80 marks 40 marks are available for AO1 and 40 marks available for AO2 4.4.7.1 Area 1: Introduction and secondary research (20 marks) Assessment Criteria: to research relevant literature sources and understand and write up the theoretical or comparative context for a research question Mark Description 16–20 The rationale for the choice of research question and its theoretical or comparative context will be thoroughly explained and supported by a detailed use of relevant and specialised literature sources to include academic texts; relevant maps, plans, illustrations, photographs; archive reports 11–15 The rationale for the choice of research question and its theoretical or comparative context is explained and supported by appropriate use of relevant and more specialised literature sources to include academic texts; relevant maps, plans, illustrations and photographs; archive reports 6–10 The rationale for the choice of research question and its theoretical or comparative context will be developed in places Explanations will be supported by a limited range of relevant literature sources to include general texts, relevant maps, plans, illustrations and photographs or archive reports Explanations may lack development is places Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 25 Mark Description 1–5 The rationale for the choice of research question and its theoretical or comparative context is descriptive and undeveloped, though may be supported by limited or basic use of one or two suitable sources It will mainly be based on generic sources such as Google maps and websites Nothing worthy of credit Assessment criteria: To observe and record primary evidence using relevant and justifiable practical methods considering, where appropriate, sample size and sampling techniques; to demonstrate practical understanding of data collection methodologies appropriate to the investigation Mark Description 19–24 Detailed and accurate records produced using a range of appropriate observational, recording and other data collection approaches This should include both photographic evidence with appropriate use of scale, and draughtsmanship in the form of sections and/or plans and/or elevations and/or finds drawings as appropriate Sample size and sampling techniques will be justified in detail Clear and precise demonstration of practical understanding of methodologies appropriate to the investigation Uses and limitations of all of the chosen methodologies are thoroughly explained 13–18 Accurate records produced using more than one appropriate observational, recording and other data collection approaches though further detail may be required in places This should include both photographic evidence with appropriate use of scale, and draughtsmanship in the form of sections and/or plans and/or elevations and/or finds drawings as appropriate Sample size and sampling techniques will be justified Clear demonstration of practical understanding of methodologies appropriate to the investigation Uses and limitations of most of the chosen methodologies are explained, though further development may be required in places 7–12 Accurate records produced using at least one appropriate observational, recording and other data collection approach though this may be inconsistent in its application This should include photographic evidence with appropriate use of scale, or draughtsmanship in the form of sections or plans or elevations or finds drawings as appropriate Sample size and sampling techniques will not be justified Some demonstration of practical understanding of methodologies appropriate to the investigation Some development is present on the uses or limitations of most of the chosen methodologies, though description may be present in places 26 Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION 4.4.7.2 Area 2: Primary data collection (24 marks) A-level Archaeology DRAFT 7017 A-level exams June 2019 onwards Version 0.1 July 2016 Mark Description 1–6 Basic or superficial records produced using observational, recording and other data collection approaches, with inaccuracies throughout This is likely to include photographic evidence and/or draughtsmanship with no appropriate use of scale, and poor technique (lack of focus, for example).Sample size and sampling techniques are unlikely to be addressed at this level Superficial demonstration of practical understanding of methodologies appropriate to the investigation Uses and/or limitations of few of the chosen methodologies are described with little detail and little or no development DRAFT SPECIFICATION Nothing worthy of credit 4.4.7.3 Area 3: Analysis (20 marks) Assessment criteria: To demonstrate the ability to interrogate and critically examine primary data using the appropriate qualitative and, where relevant, quantitative, techniques in order to comment on its accuracy and/or the extent to which it is representative Mark Description 16–20 Critical examination and interrogation of primary data is highly developed, with extensive comment on its accuracy and/or the extent to which it is useful and/or representative This will be evidenced via: • thorough and relevant annotation and discussion of photographic evidence • production of a wide range of detailed, accurate and original phase plans/ elevations for buildings/structures with thorough and relevant annotation and discussion • production of a wide range of detailed, accurate and original plans and crosssections for earthworks with thorough and relevant annotation and discussion • production of a wide range of detailed, accurate and original finds drawings/ photographs for artefact/ecofact studies with thorough and relevant annotation and discussion • use of detailed and meaningful interpretations of statistical analysis of sufficient data for graveyard and artefact studies At this level expect data collected to be of sufficient range to draw meaningful conclusions Other types of relevant primary data and the analysis of them will also be credited eg site catchments; recording sheets as appropriate Detailed and accurate application of existing knowledge, theories and concepts to order and understand observations Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 27 Mark Description 11–15 Critical examination and interrogation of primary data is present and often well developed, though comment on its accuracy and/or the extent to which it is representative may require further development in places • relevant annotation and discussion of photographic evidence • production of accurate and original phase plans/elevations for buildings/ structures with relevant annotation and discussion • production of accurate and original plans and cross-sections for earthworks with relevant annotation and discussion • production of accurate and original finds drawings/photographs for artefact/ ecofact studies with relevant annotation and discussion • use of meaningful interpretations of statistical analysis of data for graveyard and artefact studies At this level expect data collected to be sufficient to draw meaningful conclusions Other types of relevant primary data and the analysis of them will also be credited eg site catchments; recording sheets as appropriate Accurate application of existing knowledge, theories and concepts to order and understand observations, though may be lacking depth in places 6–10 Critical examination and interrogation of primary data is attempted throughout, though points are unlikely to be developed very far and comment on its accuracy and/or the extent to which it is representative may not be entirely convincing This will be evidenced via: • partly relevant annotation and discussion of photographic evidence • production of accurate and original phase plans/elevations for buildings/ structures with partly relevant annotation and discussion • production of accurate and original plans and cross-sections for earthworks with partly relevant annotation and discussion • production of accurate and original finds drawings/photographs for artefact/ ecofact studies with partly relevant annotation and discussion • some meaningful if simplistic interpretations of statistical analysis of data for graveyard and artefact studies At this level expect data collected to be insufficient to draw all conclusions Other types of relevant primary data and the analysis of them will also be credited eg site catchments; recording sheets as appropriate (but these will be unlikely) Existing knowledge, theories and concepts are applied to order and understand observations, though inaccuracies are present and detail is often lacking 28 Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION This will be evidenced via: A-level Archaeology DRAFT 7017 A-level exams June 2019 onwards Version 0.1 July 2016 Mark Description 1–5 Some attempt is made to critically examine primary data in order to comment on its accuracy and/or the extent to which it is representative However, this will take the form of simple statements with little or no further development DRAFT SPECIFICATION This will be evidenced via: • little if any annotation and discussion of photographic evidence • production of poor-quality phase plans/elevations for buildings/structures with little if any annotation and discussion • production of poor quality plans or cross-sections for earthworks with little if any annotation and discussion • production of poor quality finds drawings/photographs for artefact/ecofact studies with little if any annotation and discussion • thin statistical analysis of data for graveyard and artefact studies based on small data sets At this level expect data collected to be insufficient to draw any meaningful conclusions Other types of relevant primary data and the analysis of them will also be credited eg site catchments; recording sheets as appropriate (but these will be unlikely) Some attempts are made to apply generic or simplistic existing knowledge, theories and concepts to order and understand observations, though inaccuracies are present throughout Nothing worthy of credit 4.4.7.4 Area 4: Conclusions and evaluation (16 marks) Assessment criteria: To draw relevant, logical and coherent conclusions supported by both primary and secondary evidence To draw relevant, logical and coherent conclusions supported by both primary and secondary evidence Mark Description 13–16 A coherent, detailed and logical conclusion is produced that directly and exclusively addresses the question posed Links between primary and secondary evidence are thoroughly developed, explaining where there is agreement, where evidence is missing and where there is disagreement Draws effectively on evidence and theory to make a consistently well-argued case Detailed evaluation and reflection on findings Comprehensive explanations of how the results relate to the wider context(s) Thorough understanding of the ethical dimensions of archaeological research 9–12 A coherent conclusion is produced that directly addresses the question posed Links between primary and secondary evidence are developed, explaining where there is agreement, but not always where evidence is missing or where there is disagreement/conflict Draws effectively on evidence and theory to make a mainly well argued case Secure evaluation and reflection on findings Explanations of how the results relate to the wider context(s) are developed but lacking some depth Clear understanding of the ethical dimensions of archaeological research Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 29 Mark Description 5–8 A mainly coherent conclusion is produced that implicitly addresses the question posed, with further development required Links between primary and secondary evidence (in terms of where there is agreement; where evidence is missing and where there is disagreement/conflict) are not consistently used to lend support to the assertions made Draws inconsistently on evidence and theory to make a reasoned case 1–4 An unfocused conclusion is produced that rarely addresses the question posed Links to the primary and secondary evidence are undeveloped or not present Draws loosely on evidence and theory to make an isolated case Tentative evaluation and reflection on findings Generalised explanations of how the results relate to the wider context(s) that may take the form of simple statements Limited understanding of the ethical dimensions of archaeological research Nothing worthy of credit 30 Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION Partial evaluation and reflection on findings Imprecise explanations of how the results relate to the wider context(s) are present but in need of further development Some understanding of the ethical dimensions of archaeological research A-level Archaeology DRAFT 7017 A-level exams June 2019 onwards Version 0.1 July 2016 Non-exam assessment administration The non-exam assessment (NEA) for this specification is Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for detailed information about all aspects of NEA administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION The head of the school or college is responsible for making sure that NEA is conducted in line with our instructions and Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) instructions 5.1 Supervising and authenticating To meet Ofqual’s qualification and subject criteria: • students must sign the Candidate record form (CRF) to confirm that the work submitted is their own • all teachers who have marked a student’s work must sign the declaration of authentication on the CRF (this is to confirm that the work is solely that of the student concerned and was conducted under the conditions laid down by this specification) • teachers must ensure that a CRF is attached to each student’s work Students must have some direct supervision to ensure that the work submitted can be confidently authenticated as their own If a student receives additional assistance and this is acceptable within the guidelines for this specification, you should award a mark that represents the student’s unaided achievement Please make a note of the support the student received on the CRF and sign the authentication statement If the statement is not signed, we cannot accept the student’s work for assessment 5.2 Avoiding malpractice Please inform your students of the AQA regulations concerning malpractice They must not: • submit work that is not their own • lend work to other students • allow other students access to, or use of, their own independently sourced source material (they may lend their books to another student, but they must not plagiarise other students’ research) • include work copied directly from books, the internet or other sources without acknowledgement • submit work that is word-processed by a third person without acknowledgement • include inappropriate, offensive or obscene material These actions constitute malpractice and a penalty will be given (for example, disqualification) If you identify malpractice before the student signs the declaration of authentication, you don’t need to report it to us Please deal with it in accordance with your school or college’s internal procedures We expect schools and colleges to treat such cases very seriously If you identify malpractice after the student has signed the declaration of authentication, the head of your school or college must submit full details of the case to us at the earliest opportunity Please complete the form JCQ/M1, available from the JCQ website at jcq.org.uk Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 31 You must record details of any work which is not the student’s own on the CRF or another appropriate place Consult your exams officer about these procedures 5.3 Teacher standardisation We'll provide support for using the marking criteria and developing appropriate tasks through teacher standardisation • moderation from the previous year indicates a serious misinterpretation of the requirements • a significant adjustment was made to the marks in the previous year • your school or college is new to this specification For further information about teacher standardisation visit aqa.org.uk/7017 For further support and advice please speak to your adviser Email your subject team at archaeology@aqa.org.uk for details of your adviser 5.4 Internal standardisation You must ensure that you have consistent marking standards for all students One person must manage this process and they must sign the Centre declaration sheet to confirm that internal standardisation has taken place Internal standardisation may involve: • all teachers marking sample pieces of work to identify differences in marking standards • discussing any differences in marking at a training meeting for all teachers involved • referring to reference and archive material such as previous work or examples from our teacher standardisation 5.5 Commenting To meet Ofqual’s qualification and subject criteria, you must show clearly how marks have been awarded against the marking criteria in this specification Your comments will help the moderator see, as precisely as possible, where you think the students have met the marking criteria You must record your comments on the CRF 5.6 Submitting marks You must check that the correct marks are written on the CRF and that the total is correct The deadline for submitting the total mark for each student is given at aqa.org.uk/keydates 32 Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION In the following situations teacher standardisation is essential We'll send you an invitation to complete teacher standardisation if: A-level Archaeology DRAFT 7017 A-level exams June 2019 onwards Version 0.1 July 2016 5.7 Factors affecting individual students For advice and guidance about arrangements for any of your students, please email us as early as possible at eos@aqa.org.uk Occasional absence: you should be able to accept the occasional absence of students by making sure they have the chance to make up what they have missed You may organise an alternative supervised session for students who were absent at the time you originally arranged Lost work: if work is lost you must tell us how and when it was lost and who was responsible, using our special consideration online service at aqa.org.uk/eaqa DRAFT SPECIFICATION Extra help: where students need extra help which goes beyond normal learning support, please use the CRF to tell us so that this help can be taken into account during moderation Students who move schools: students who move from one school or college to another during the course sometimes need additional help to meet the requirements How you deal with this depends on when the move takes place • If it happens early in the course, the new school or college should be responsible for the work • If it happens late in the course, it may be possible to arrange for the moderator to assess the work as a student who was ‘educated elsewhere’ 5.8 Keeping students' work Students’ work must be kept under secure conditions from the time that it is marked, with Candidate record forms attached After the moderation period and the deadline for Enquiries about Results (or once any enquiry is resolved) you may return the work to students 5.9 Moderation You must send all your students’ marks to AQA for moderation by the date specified at aqa.org.uk/ deadlines You’ll also be asked to send a sample of your students’ NEA evidence to your moderator You must show clearly how marks have been awarded against the assessment criteria in this specification Your comments will help the moderator see, as precisely as possible, where you think the students have met the assessment criteria You must: • record your comments on the CRF • check that the correct marks are written on the CRF and that the total is correct The moderator will re-mark a sample of the NEA evidence and compare this with the marks you provided to check whether changes are needed to bring the marking in line with our agreed standards Changes to marks won’t usually affect rank order but, where major inconsistencies are found, we reserve the right to change it if necessary School and college consortia If you're in a consortium of schools or colleges with joint teaching arrangements (where students from different schools and colleges have been taught together but entered through the school or college at which they are on roll), you must let us know by: Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 33 • filling in the Application for Centre Consortium Arrangements for centre-assessed work, which is available from the JCQ website jcq.org.uk • appointing a consortium coordinator who can speak to us on behalf of all schools and colleges in the consortium If there are different coordinators for different specifications, a copy of the form must be sent in for each specification We'll allocate the same moderator to all schools and colleges in the consortium and treat the students as a single group for moderation We will return your students' work to you after the exams You'll also receive a report when the results are issued, which will give feedback on the appropriateness of the tasks set, interpretation of the marking criteria and how students performed in general We'll give you the final marks when the results are issued To meet Ofqual requirements, as well as for awarding, archiving or standardising purposes, we may need to keep some of your students' work We'll let you know if we need to this 34 Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION 5.10 After moderation A-level Archaeology DRAFT 7017 A-level exams June 2019 onwards Version 0.1 July 2016 General administration You can find information about all aspects of administration, as well as all the forms you need, at aqa.org.uk/examsadmin 6.1 Entries and codes DRAFT SPECIFICATION You only need to make one entry for each qualification – this will cover all the question papers, non-exam assessment and certification Every specification is given a national discount (classification) code by the Department for Education (DfE), which indicates its subject area If a student takes two specifications with the same discount code, further and higher education providers are likely to take the view that they have only achieved one of the two qualifications Please check this before your students start their course Qualification title AQA entry code DfE discount code AQA Advanced Level GCE in Archaeology 7017 TBC This specification complies with: • • • • Ofqual General conditions of recognition that apply to all regulated qualifications Ofqual GCE qualification level conditions that apply to all GCEs Ofqual GCE subject level conditions that apply to all GCEs in this subject all other relevant regulatory documents The Ofqual qualification accreditation number (QAN) is TBC 6.2 Overlaps with other qualifications There is overlapping content in the AS and A-level Archaeology specifications This helps you teach the AS and A-level together 6.3 Awarding grades and reporting results The A-level qualification will be graded on a six-point scale: A*, A, B, C, D and E Students who fail to reach the minimum standard for grade E will be recorded as U (unclassified) and will not receive a qualification certificate 6.4 Re-sits and shelf life Students can resit the qualification as many times as they wish, within the shelf life of the qualification Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 35 6.5 Previous learning and prerequisites There are no previous learning requirements Any requirements for entry to a course based on this specification are at the discretion of schools and colleges 6.6 Access to assessment: diversity and inclusion The subject criteria have been assessed to see if any of the skills or knowledge required present any possible difficulty to any students, whatever their ethnic background, religion, sex, age, disability or sexuality Tests of specific competences were only included if they were important to the subject As members of the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) we participate in the production of the JCQ document Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments: General and Vocational qualifications We follow these guidelines when assessing the needs of individual students who may require an access arrangement or reasonable adjustment This document is published at jcq.org.uk Students with disabilities and special needs We're required by the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments to remove or lessen any disadvantage that affects a disabled student We can make arrangements for disabled students and students with special needs to help them access the assessments, as long as the competences being tested aren't changed Access arrangements must be agreed before the assessment For example, a Braille paper would be a reasonable adjustment for a Braille reader To arrange access arrangements or reasonable adjustments, you can apply using the online service at aqa.org.uk/eaqa Special consideration We can give special consideration to students who have been disadvantaged at the time of the assessment through no fault of their own – for example a temporary illness, injury or serious problem such as family bereavement We can only this after the assessment Your exams officer should apply online for special consideration at aqa.org.uk/eaqa For more information and advice visit aqa.org.uk/access or email accessarrangementsqueries@aqa.org.uk 6.7 Working with AQA for the first time If your school or college hasn't previously offered our specifications, you need to register as an AQA centre Find out how at aqa.org.uk/becomeacentre 36 Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION General qualifications are designed to prepare students for a wide range of occupations and further study Therefore our qualifications must assess a wide range of competences A-level Archaeology DRAFT 7017 A-level exams June 2019 onwards Version 0.1 July 2016 6.8 Private candidates DRAFT SPECIFICATION This specification is not available to private candidates Visit aqa.org.uk/7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 37 Get help and support Visit our website for information, guidance, support and resources at aqa.org.uk/7017 You can talk directly to the Archaeology subject team: E: archaeology@aqa.org.uk DRAFT SPECIFICATION T: 0161 958 3861 aqa.org.uk Copyright © 2015 AQA and its licensors All rights reserved AQA retains the copyright on all its publications, including the specifications However, schools and colleges registered with AQA are permitted to copy material from this specification for their own internal use AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (number 1073334) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (company number 3644723) Our registered address is AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX [...]... information and advice visit aqa. org.uk/access or email accessarrangementsqueries @aqa. org.uk 6.7 Working with AQA for the first time If your school or college hasn't previously offered our specifications, you need to register as an AQA centre Find out how at aqa. org.uk/becomeacentre 36 Visit aqa. org.uk /7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION General... Visit aqa. org.uk /7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION 5.10 After moderation A-level Archaeology DRAFT 7017 A-level exams June 2019 onwards Version 0.1 7 July 2016 6 General administration You can find information about all aspects of administration, as well as all the forms you need, at aqa. org.uk/examsadmin 6.1 Entries and codes DRAFT SPECIFICATION... service at aqa. org.uk/eaqa Special consideration We can give special consideration to students who have been disadvantaged at the time of the assessment through no fault of their own – for example a temporary illness, injury or serious problem such as family bereavement We can only do this after the assessment Your exams officer should apply online for special consideration at aqa. org.uk/eaqa For more... 20 Visit aqa. org.uk /7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION The following sub-themes should be considered when teaching this theme: A-level Archaeology DRAFT 7017 A-level exams June 2019 onwards Version 0.1 7 July 2016 4 Scheme of assessment Find past papers and mark schemes, and specimen papers for new courses, on our website at aqa. org.uk/pastpapers... June 2019 onwards Version 0.1 7 July 2016 5 Non-exam assessment administration The non-exam assessment (NEA) for this specification is Visit aqa. org.uk /7017 for detailed information about all aspects of NEA administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION The head of the school or college is responsible for making sure that NEA is conducted in line with our instructions and Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ)... Lower Palaeolithic Africa the spread of human species across the world Ice Age hunting societies of Eastern Europe Mesolithic Europe the origins of agriculture in the Fertile Crescent the origins of agriculture in East Asia and Oceania the European Chalcolithic 16 Visit aqa. org.uk /7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION Explanations of change... or limitations of most of the chosen methodologies, though description may be present in places 26 Visit aqa. org.uk /7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION 4.4.7.2 Area 2: Primary data collection (24 marks) A-level Archaeology DRAFT 7017 A-level exams June 2019 onwards Version 0.1 7 July 2016 Mark Description 1–6 Basic or superficial records... are applied to order and understand observations, though inaccuracies are present and detail is often lacking 28 Visit aqa. org.uk /7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION This will be evidenced via: A-level Archaeology DRAFT 7017 A-level exams June 2019 onwards Version 0.1 7 July 2016 Mark Description 1–5 Some attempt is made to critically... credit 30 Visit aqa. org.uk /7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION Partial evaluation and reflection on findings Imprecise explanations of how the results relate to the wider context(s) are present but in need of further development Some understanding of the ethical dimensions of archaeological research A-level Archaeology DRAFT 7017 A-level... taphonomic studies • spatial patterns including intersite and intrasite analysis and activities in ‘off-site areas’ or the ‘taskscape’ • The use of analogies in archaeology: • historical analogies • ethnographic analogies and ethnoarchaeology • analogies from animal behaviour 12 Visit aqa. org.uk /7017 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration DRAFT SPECIFICATION 3.1.6